Friday bullets, Jan. 5, 2018

It's been a busy couple of days, and I'm just now getting to the computer.

• Wednesday night we had the opportunity to see the musical, Elf, at the Paramount Theater. It was a great show and everyone really enjoyed it. It was a treat to be able to take everyone to see professional, live theater. Thanks to my Mom, who was the provider of this little jaunt, as part of her Christmas gift to us.
• After the high has not gotten above -4 degrees F. for several days, when it climbs up to 14 degrees, it can feel positively balmy. Grocery shopping was almost pleasant. It's all about perspective.
• We discovered that K. and L. can fit through the cat door. I watched them both do it, and I'm still not quite sure how they manage it.
• J. took the dry Christmas tree out to the fire pit to burn it last weekend. They aren't kidding when they say dry trees can go up in a flash. J. has started a fire, and then put the tree on top. He said it took no time at all, once a spark hit the tree for it to go completely up in flames. Next year, you can be sure our tree will be watered a little more compulsively as a result.
• We have briefly landed on Easter Island on our little 'round the world, homeschool tour.
• A while back, I shared that my mother had sent me the entire set of mysteries by Louise Penny that are set in Quebec. I am now on the fourth one, and am loving them. Like some of the best mysteries, these are closer to novels than just about the puzzle. There's a lot in them to enjoy and think about. For instance this line that I read today, "It's a shame that creativity and sloth look exactly the same." I've often felt this way, and it was a lovely moment to come across it in the book. 
• One plus of having moved is that we are living in a warm house. Children have actually commented on it. The Big Ugly House was lots of things, but warm in the winter was not one of them. Old drafty windows, huge spaces, and no insulation will do that. We are not missing being cold inside as well as outside.
• We have actual social engagements on the calendar. That's a big step forward from this summer where I felt as though no one would ever notice if I never left my house.
• I read 78 books in 2017, with having decided to not finish another ten. This is up from 74 the year before. That year had a double adoption in it, but this year had a move. Both years had at least a month where very little reading happened. I'll be curious to see what this year is like. I'll also be posting my reading list for those of you who are interested. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow since I'm not sure I have something else to write about.
• Last week J. and I finally watched Hidden Figures. It was so, so good! If you, like us, are slow to get around to watching movies, watch this one. 
• I made sort-of homemade ravioli the other night. Instead of making my own pasta dough, I used wonton wrappers. It is so much easier that way. The only problem is, that one package is just barely enough to feed everyone, I discovered. Next time, I'll have to double it all. The filling was ricotta, basil, and lemon zest. It was a bit like spring in a ravioli in the dead of winter.
• Why, why, why was milk 95 cents a gallon at one Aldi, but well over $2.00 a gallon at another Aldi just a few miles away? I am baffled. Guess where I will be shopping next week.
• I'm not sure D. is feeling the love for Olive at the moment. In the past week, Olive has both peed and thrown-up on D. on separate occasions. We don't know why.

And now it's late, and since I'm out of things to write about, I'm going to say good-night.